The Invisible Man Chapter 1 The Invisible Man

Griffin had the thought of robbing Vicar’s house to get some money so that he could survive and pay his bills. To avoid detection and being caught, Griffin got rid of his bandages and clothes and went to the Vicar’s house. He was aware that the Vicar kept his money in his desk in the study. Griffin entered through the back door of the Vicar’s house and straight away went to the Vicar’s bedroom to check if the Vicar and his wife were asleep. To ensure his safety, he checked the other room too. Unfortunately, the Vicar’s wife heard the bedroom door open and close and then the padding sound of footsteps from the adjoining dressing room. Without having any idea about that, Griffin went downstairs into the study. He found and collected the money and slipped out through the back door even before the Vicar could understand what had happened.

Mrs. Hall is the owner of the inn ‘Coaches and Horses’. She is friendly, simple, down to earth kind of lady. The first impression that she creates presents her in an unpleasant light. She rents the inn parlour to a stranger without bothering about his credentials simply because he projects himself as a rich customer. At this point, she appears to be an opportunist and money-minded woman. She loves and enjoys talking to her guests. However, the manner in which she puts up with the rude behaviour of Griffin shows that she was actually a very polite hostess who took her duty seriously. She goes out her way to make her guests comfortable. Her courteous behaviour and her hospitality win the appreciation of the readers. Mrs. Hall is quite perturbed by the behaviour of the stranger. She also does not know what to do with his ill temper. But her polite temperament does not make her weak in any way. When the Invisible Man crosses all limits of etiquettes, Mrs. Hall firmly puts her foot down. She does take a strong hand when she refuses to offer any food, till she had received her dues. She stands up courageously against the arrogant Griffin. She charts her way without letting even her husband influence her. Mrs. Hall can thus be considered as an independent businesswoman who is capable of taking her decisions without any support or assistance from others.

Griffin got rid of his bandages and clothes to avoid detection and went to the Vicar’s house. He knew that the Vicar kept his money in this study desk. It was actually the Vicar’s housekeeping reserve of gold. Griffin entered through the back door of the house, went up to the Vicar’s bedroom to check if the Vicar and his wife were asleep and also checked the other room to ensure safety. However, the Vicar’s wife heard the bedroom door open and close and then a padding sound of bare feet from the adjoining dressing room. After being assured, he went downstairs into the study, snapped open the drawer and found the money. After getting the money he managed to slip away again through the back door before the Vicar could imagine what had happened.

Mrs. Hall is a seemingly insignificant character who plays a vital role in the novel 'The Invisible Man'. She is warm to her guest. She serves him lunch, takes his clothes to dry them and also shows sympathy mistaking his bandages to be the result of an accident. But she is quite particular about the maintenance of her property. She disliked snow melting on her carpet, snow threatening to rust her steel fender and also the straw after the luggage of her guest was unpacked. She was brave and also had her own sense of judgement. When questioned about her delayed service, she asked her guest for her payment. She was a woman who could not to be fooled easily. She noticed that her guest’s room was empty and wanted to know how he had entered without using the front door. Her intelligent query led to the revelation of her guest’s invisibility. 

Thomas Marvel was upset and assaulted during his time with the Invisible Man, he wanted to be free and that is why he offered his resignation. The Invisible Man wanted to use him as a tool so that he could get his work done which he could not do because of his condition. Marvel however did not wanted to be used as a tool for the invisible man and therefore he decided to snivel and grovel his way out of this mess. He said he would be the worst possible tool. By this time Marvel had realized the dangerous situation he had unwillingly got himself into. Marvel began to rant against him saying that he wished he was dead, that it was devilish but it was of no use as they did not have any effect on the invisible man. The Invisible Man threatened to twist his wrist if Marvel did not pipe down.  So, Marvels attempt towards offering his resignation was unsuccessful because the Invisible Man succeeded in bullying and threatening him into submission. He held the key to the three manuscript books which would help perpetuate the state of invisibility for the Invisible Man. If he had not turned on him and given himself up to the police, the Invisible Man would not have been arrested in his demonic task of unleashing a reign of terror. Eventually, Thomas Marvel became the landlord of a little inn near Port Stowe and became the owner of the Invisible Mans prized possessions.

The stranger had no wish to entertain the neighborhood people, he did not speak a word and simply glared at Mr. Cuss for intruding upon his private space. Any question put to him succeeded in infuriate him further but when he accidentally revealed his empty sleeve, there was a moment of confusion and silence which the stranger and Mr. Cuss shared before the former turned the latter out of his room. Mr. Cuss was visibly shaken from this encounter. However, what is clear from this encounter is that the stranger was in a disturbed state of mind, he was working on a problem whose solution seemed to evade him constantly.